Teenage Dream
by mokonahapuuuuuu
Summary: He was always admiring her from afar. High school AU. Korrlok
1. one

**Teenage Dream**

one.

Korra was the type of person who could be friends with anyone.

An athlete, a jock through and through. She was the captain of the lacrosse team of the school. She was no way a bully at all, and that's what made her so likeable.

If only Tarrlok could say something to her, anything to make his existence known to her.

She was a tomboy, yes, but her confidence, how kind she was to everyone around her was what drove Tarrlok to her.

What's not to love about her?

But Tarrlok's family was part of an undercover crime unit. Tarrlok's older brother, Noatak was to follow in their father, Yakone's footsteps. Fortunately, Tarrlok wasn't picked on that often, but Noatak was definitely way cooler than him.

One of the popular girls with the son of a crime boss.

Why would Korra want anything to do with Tarrlok?

Tarrlok was about to be late for class, and his books and coffee fell out of his hands. Oh, great. He made a spill on the floor.

"Need help with that?"

Looking up, it was Korra. This was the first time they actually interacted. His fingers fidgeted.

"T-Thank you…"

"We have the same math class, Tarrlok," She knew his name. "It's not like you just transferred here."

Korra always knew the right time to make someone laugh. She went into the girl's restroom to get some paper towels.

Ever since then, Tarrlok became 'coffee spill' guy to Korra, but they said the usual 'hi's' and small talk. If only Tarrlok had the courage to get to know her better, be closer to her, but he was always on the sidelines.

Then one day, Noatak was in a car accident.

Both his parents were devastated. Yakone suspected it was a rival gang who was out to get him. As Tarrlok was at his locker to get the rest of his things before the funeral, Korra dashed to his side.

"Tarrlok, I heard about Noatak…" Korra swallowed. "I'm so sorry."

They hugged.

For Tarrlok's safety, Yakone thought to transfer him to a boarding school in Switzerland. Not that Tarrlok had any objections, since he didn't really have that many friends in America, nor could he stand up to his own father. The only thing he'd be leaving behind would be Korra.

He should have kept in contact with Korra. He would have called her every week from Europe and told her everything. How the weight of his father's expectations crushed him every day, how he always favoured Noatak over him, and how being with her made everything better.

But he never told her then.

He ended up following in his father's footsteps. He was nothing but Noatak's spare, but it was better than nothing. Yakone made sure Tarrlok knew that.

After graduating from college, Tarrlok inherited Yakone's multinational empire. He had the same successes as his father, and was soon on the cover of an elite business magazine. A girl on each arm to parties.

Tarrlok didn't graduate high school in America, but ever since Noatak died, he was a part of the football team, and the alumni wanted to honour his memory at the reunion and thought Tarrlok should be a part of it.

In the back of his mind, he hoped Korra would be there, too.


	2. two

**Teenage Dream**

* * *

two.

"The guys made a nice tribute to Noatak, didn't they?" Korra asked as they were on the deck of the boat.

Tarrlok sipped his drink. "Yeah, it was… I'm glad they did that for him."

Korra was the one who reached out to Tarrlok first. After catching up over coffee, he was even more surprised that she said yes when he asked her if they could go to the reunion together. Makes up for the prom years ago.

Korra had a fiancé who was in the army, but he was killed in the line of duty. Tarrlok held her as she had tears in her eyes. She was there for him when Noatak was gone.

"I saw that you were on the cover of Empire," Korra began. "Congrats. I'm so glad you're doing well."

His lips made a small smile. "Thank you. If I'm completely honest with myself, I never wanted my dad's company in the first place, but since I was around after Noatak was in the accident… I was all that was left."

"You know, you could have done something with yourself," said Korra.

Tarrlok turned to Korra. "What?"

"You're always doing what people tell you to do. If you actually had a backbone, you wouldn't be where you are right now," she scoffed. "And I'd thought you'd change after all these years."

"This isn't you, Tarrlok," she gestured to him. "Armani suits, a girl on each arm. The Tarrlok I knew would have thought this was over the top, put his foot down and have a life that was his own."

His brow narrowed. "You think you know me, Korra… I was _invisible_. I was _invisible_ to everyone around me, I was invisible to you…"

He looked into her piercing eyes and they were sixteen again.

"All that time, I wanted to be closer to you, tell you how much you meant to me…" he felt his eyes grow heavy. "But I didn't. The only thing that got me through boarding school in Switzerland was you."

He reached for her face. "I've _never_ stopped thinking about you since then."

He felt her frame on his chest. "Oh, Tarrlok… If I only knew…"

Their lips met, and he wondered why it took so long for them to do this.


End file.
